Updates to Dairy Policy E-Source on hoards.com

Updates to Dairy Policy E-Source on hoards.com

Date:

Wed, 03/05/2014

Farm bill resources found in one location

by Patti Hurtgen, Hoard’s Dairyman Online Media Manager

It was a long time coming. The farm bill, which is scheduled to be renewed every five years, had delays, extensions and multiple compromises. But that is due to the multiple facets of agriculture, and in turn its reach into international trade, environmental concerns, food safety, nutrition and rural issues.

It was difficult to keep up with the whole drawn-out process as two separate bills and amendments had to be reviewed and voted upon, before being merged into one unified document. It seemed everybody commented during the deliberation process, which simply filled the air until the real decision makers (the House and Senate) could finalize the details.

Now with a farm bill passed, it’s time to learn what it all means. Hoard’s Dairyman has been on the forefront. The farm bill was signed by President Obama on Friday, February 7th and we presented a webinar on the new legislation the following Monday. And, the presenter was a policy adviser on the farm bill itself, providing deeper insight into the topic. We followed our coverage with features in our February 25, 2014, issue, as well.

To further complement the webinar and print coverage, we have updated our Dairy Policy page on our website to reflect the new farm bill information. Here you will find links to the webinar, articles and Hoard’s Dairyman editorials — all specific to the farm bill.

So, while there is a lot of information in the farm bill, we have conveniently gathered the current material in one location to better assist you in understanding its implications. Visit www.hoards.com/E_dairy-policy to update yourself on the new legislation as well as other policy issues.

The author is the online media manager and is responsible for the website, webinars and social media. A graduate of Modesto Junior College and Fresno State, she was raised on a California dairy and frequently blogs on youth programs and consumer issues.

Garrett Oetzel presents “Cows and their calcium” at noon (Central time) on Monday, March 10. Hypocalcemia (low blood calcium) is an important determinant of fresh cow health and milk production. Recent research has highlighted the negative effects of hypocalcemia: reduced early-lactation milk yield, elevated risk for displaced abomasum and reduced fertility at first service. Measures to control it will be discussed including nutritional approaches and strategic treatments. Register at www.hoards.com/webinars.